2600-year-old priceless idol of Lord Mahavira recovered in Bihar

Patna: The priceless 2600-year-old idol of Lord Mahavira, weighing 250 kg which was stolen from a Jain Temple nine days ago, was recovered today from a village in Bihar's Jamui district, a senior police official said.

"We have recovered the 250-kg Lord Mahavira Idol from Bichhwe village at around 06.00 A.M", Bhagalpur Zone Inspector General of Police (IG), Bacchu Singh Meena told on phone from Jamui where he has been camping for more than a week to supervise operation for recovery of the precious idol.

He said that the gang involved in the theft had called the police through one of its men informing them about the idol lying in a field in Bicchwe village. Policemen reached the spot and recovered the idol this morning.

Meena said that the thieves had planned to dispose of the idol to prospective buyers, but could not do so due to the mounting pressure from investigators as a result of which they were left with no option but to abandon it.